30% driving licenses in India bogus, says Nitin Gadkari

HYDERABAD: Around 30 per cent driving licences in the country were bogus and the Government has proposed a new Motor Vehicles Act to bring in transparency and make the system corruption-free, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today said.

"The situation on driving licences is that 25 to 30 per cent of the driving licences in the country are bogus. Therefore, the government has prepared a new Motor Vehicles Act after studying the models in advanced countries - the US, Canada, Japan, Germany and Singapore - and consulting the states and collecting inputs from members of the public," Gadkari told reporters here.

Under the proposed Act, the issuance of licences would be computer-based and linked to satellites. If licenses are not issued to eligible candidates, action would be initiated against officials concerned, the minister added.

Gadkari also said that cameras linked to satellites would be installed in cities with more than five lakh population to record traffic violations.

"Those violators, who challenge fine, would have to pay double the amount if offences are proved," he added.

The idea is to rid the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) of corruption, make the system transparent and time-bound and promote e-governance.

The Minister also said that the norms and standards governing bio-diesel, bio-gas, ethanol and electric have been prepared and a notification in this regard was expected to be issued in 15 days.

He also said research was underway on five technologies pertaining to development of electric batteries to run buses.

"We are also testing. In two-three months, I feel the final product will come out," he said.